The hospitality and tourism industries have been among the hardest hit by Covid-19. Now, as pubs, restaurants and hotels begin to reopen, it is essential that they focus more on environmental sustainability.
The hospitality industry puts increased pressure on the environment around it, relying heavily on local, natural resources. But, these resources are also crucial to the ecosystems that support surrounding areas of natural beauty. Landscapes which often draw in tourists also serve as a valuable life source for local businesses.
So, how can the service industry steer towards a greener recovery?
Reduce waste
Food and energy waste within hospitality are two of the main problematic areas. To combat this, restaurants and hotels across the country are starting to donate leftover food to charities. This helps reduce waste, or if unavoidable, disposed of responsibly. But, it is not just wasted food that is harmful to the earth.
Single use food packaging contributes to a broad range of environmental issues. It litters land and oceans, is destructive to wildlife and ecosystems, and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions by riddling landfills. In order to reduce our impact on the planet, we must first reduce our packaging waste, and eventually cut it out altogether.
Campaign platform City to Sea is championing reusable products and encouraging the hospitality industry to do the same. Their ‘Refill’ programme focuses of providing businesses with guidance on how to integrate reusable packaging into daily life. This comes after many parks were littered with single use plastics after Covid-19 restriction lifts. With the slogan ‘reopen, reuse and refill’, City to Sea are determined to keep both customers and the planet safe.
Work with green initiatives
Working with green initiatives raises awareness amongst food industry workers and their customers, while also moving towards a greener future. They create green communities where like-minded people can work together to reach their sustainability goals.
The SRA (Sustainable Restaurant Association) are using their green initiatives to accelerate the service industry’s move towards a greener future. Aiming for an environmentally restorative and socially progressive UK hospitality sector, SRA are working with businesses across the industry to achieve their goal. Their most successful programme, Food Made Good sees SRA guide, assess and support a growing number of restaurants, pubs, cafes and hotels in their journey to sustainability.
Source sustainably
There is a growing focus on a greener future for the food service industry. This means the number of restaurants and pubs putting sustainability on the menu is at an all time high. A hugely impactful factor in championing sustainability lies in sustainable sourcing.
Investing money in locally grown products reduces a businesses impact on the environment. They also support the local community on which they rely and it very often results in long term financial savings.
In a survey conducted by GlobalData, over a third of consumers said that Covid-19 and Brexit has made them take sustainability into more consideration when purchasing food. Uncertainty around both events has brought the UK food and farming industries into focus. To tackle both political manoeuvres and climate change successfully, self-sufficiency is crucial.
Conserve energy
To conserve energy, hospitality businesses must first understand where energy is being used most. Conducting an energy audit is the first step in saving energy, money and time. At Monarch, our expert team of auditors are on hand to help you start your sustainability journey.
Green House Hotel in Bournemouth is utilising natural and sustainable materials to reduce its impact on the planet. The hotel is taking the lead in sustainability within UK hospitality; its motto being ‘spoil guests without spoiling anything else’. Green House combines heat and power units in order to reduce waste. They also installed a lighting unit that automatically dims when you leave the room.
In an environment where various types of equipment are kept at different temperatures, energy consumption rates can get confusing. But by switching to low carbon alternatives or upgrading equipment, the food service industry could drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
Where does Monarch come in?
The global crisis has seen some environmental benefits, such as cleaner air and more awareness around climate change. But it has had incredibly damaging effects on economic and social sustainability. The challenge moving forward will be continuing environmental efforts while also prioritising a profitable recovery for businesses.
At Monarch, we believe that sustainability is the only way forward. We aim to help all our clients on their journey towards a greener future.
With our comprehensive range of services and expert team, we pride ourselves on finding the perfect options for you and your business. After conducting an energy audit, we can provide sustainable energy solutions tailored to your business’ specific energy needs.
Get in touch to find out more about how we can steer you towards an environmentally friendly future.
